Ruby Walsh: Why all the panic about Cheltenham?
Al Boum Photo â nobody sure exactly how much ground he covered when winning at Tramore on New Yearâs Day, but who really cares?
Elite sport is just about the only thing to have escaped the latest round of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions and thank God because as long and hard as the days were to fill last spring, at least the weather was kind and there something to do, even if it was only mowing the grass.
Right now there is simply nothing to do to help pass the short days and long nights but watch sport on the TV. How long we will have that for is questionable. The current freeze is a hindrance but the worrying daily Covid-19 figures and increasing pressure being placed on our creaking health system could prove a bigger issue for elite sport.
This week two conversations seem to have dominated the horse racing world. The first is what will happen in March regarding Irish equine participation at the Cheltenham Festival.
From where I stand, it looks to me as if nobody knows what will happen on February 1with society let alone what will happen with 100-odd racehorses on March 16 so why there is some much speculation, rumour, and scaremongering is beyond me.
The answer is simple: Plan like they can go until you are told otherwise, take one day at time, and let the future worry about itself. If they can, they can and if they canât, I'm sure HRI will rearrange the Easter programme at Fairyhouse on the first weekend of April to accommodate all those horses who missed out on running at Cheltenham.
That meeting only needs a few minor tweaks to race conditions and the addition or replacement of four others to accommodate most and give the majority a race before the Punchestown festival at the end of April.
Cheltenham was cancelled before and rose again so fear not, it can be done and will survive.
On the more realistic side of looking at it, Australia has implemented the strictest global quarantine regime since the pandemic got a foothold there yet plenty of European horses and staff managed to follow the guidelines and participate during Melbourne's spring carnival on the other side of the world. Where there's a will there's always a way. Letâs worry about now and try our best to get this under control so the future can sort itself out the way we would all like.
The other hot potato was over what distance Al Boum Photo exactly ran last week at Tramore. Why it is such a hot topic for debate probably amuses me more than bothers me. He started in the same place as his opposition, completed the same course, and finished at the same point as them too.
For those who mathematically dissect his performance and scrutinise the race from a time point of view it proved a really frustrating exercise because the start at Tramore was moved further from the first fence than advertised and to provide the best possible racing surface in a wet January the rails were also moved out which all added up to a longer trip than advertised.
But no rules were broken because Irish racecourses use "about" to inform us of a race distance. That caveat provides the scope to be over or under but roughly near the distance.
I can hear you saying it's 2021 and how hard can it be to be exact, you can simply survey it but that takes time, costs money, and removes the scope for late alterations to allow tracks find and use the turf thatâs in the best condition.
Also a horse race is a race and not a time trial or an effort to break a world time record so why does it need to be exact? Then simply add in the variations in the decisions some riders make by racing wide on a track and who knows how far they have raced! Or if the heavy going description was a wet heavy or a dry heavy and how heavy was it exactly! I donât know but I do know Al Boum Photo beat Acapella Bourgeois 19 lengths whilst giving him 4lbs. That will do me, however far they raced.
The current freeze has had it say on the fixtures this week already and today is no different. The Fairyhouse card has been rescheduled for Tuesday while Chepstow, Kempton, and Wincanton must all pass an early-morning inspection to go ahead.
The two main events in Chepstow are the Finale Juvenile Hurdle, where Gary Moore's Nassalam will bid to establish himself as a genuine challenger to Zanahiyr for the Triumph Hurdle and the Welsh National where David Pipe's Ramses De Teillee looks a solid each-way play with his endless stamina guaranteed to help his chance.
Imperial Aura is the star name on show at Kempton. Kim Baileyâs stable star is two from two this season and looks sure to cement his place as second favourite to Min for in the Ryanair chase.
McFabulous is the other horse to note in the rearranged Relkeel Hurdle.
There are two really decent races on Naasâs seven-race card tomorrow but it has to pass an inspection this afternoon and the vibes on that front are rather negative.
It's a pity but HRI already have next Wednesday put aside to hold the fixture with fresh declarations so hopefully those declared yesterday morning will do so again Monday morning if needs be.
The featured Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle at 2.30pm sees Bob Olinger, Ashdale Bob and Blue Lord face off over two and a half miles. The roll of honour for this race is really quite impressive and while I will be rooting for Blue Lord there was something about how Bob Olinger won in Navan that left a really lasting impression on me. He could prove hard to beat.
Captain Guinness, Blackbow, and Energumene face off earlier on the card in a novice chase. All three like to dominate their opposition from the front but on January ground when stamina counts for so much, Energumine might be the one to see out the trip best.
